Career Guide to Design Engineering
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Career guide to design engineering Find out more at: aqa.org.uk/tech-levels Acknowledgements Thanks to the employers who were happy for their staff to appear as case studies and who contributed to this guide. autodesk.co.uk/ baesystems.com/home CREATEeducation.co.uk dyson.co.uk/ schneider-electric.com/ww/en/ spx.com ultimaker.com www.ied.org.uk 2 CAREER GUIDE TO DESIGN ENGINEERING Contents Introduction 4 How to use this guide 5 Design engineering explained 6 What skills do design engineers need? 7 How do design engineers learn, progress and improve? 8 Where are you now? 12 Total scores 12 Case studies 14 Design engineering in the spotlight 20 Where are you now? 22 Further reading 24 3 Introduction Welcome to the wonderful A career as a design engineer world of design engineering is extremely rewarding This guide highlights the career opportunities The design community is diverse open to design engineering specialists. and dynamic and never dull. Design is an essential creative element of Many design engineers travel the engineering. It combines imagination and world during their career and work creativity with the knowledge and application of with people in diverse industries. technical and scientific skills. The Institution of Engineering Designers Learning about design plays an important role is delighted to support this career guide, in engineering and today’s design engineers and those who choose to enter the world do everything from conceiving and creating the of design engineering. We look forward to latest smartphones, to designing offshore drilling welcoming you into our design community. components. Libby Meyrick Phillip Bryant Chief Executive AQA Sector Strategist for Engineering Institution of Engineering Designers Design engineering is an incredibly diverse and exciting field You’ll be surprised how much of the world is created by design engineers. They make people’s lives easier, safer, cleaner and more exciting. Whether you’re reading this guide via a laptop, leaflet, or a smartphone, all the decisions about its design, the material it’s made of, the way it’s been manufactured and how you interact with it, will have been made by designers. The design community work on every aspect of life, from healthcare to consumer goods, to sports and even waste disposal. Design engineers consider what the product has to do and look like, safety, environmental impact and how the item will be disposed of or recycled at the end of its life. 4 CAREER GUIDE TO DESIGN ENGINEERING How to use this guide This guide will give you an understanding of the skills, progression routes and potential careers available through our Level 3 Tech-level Design Engineering qualification. We’ve showcased the jobs and workplaces that a career in design engineering could take you. We’ve linked these case studies to the units and transferable skills within our qualification. We’ve also included questions and exercises to help you think about your career and subject choices, and whether design engineering is right for you. This guide will: • dispel the myths about design engineering • provide information on industry statistics, skills shortages and starting salaries • highlight different routes into design engineering, including apprenticeships • highlight the academic, technical and ‘employability’ skills used in design engineering • highlight the people and diversity of roles and sectors in design engineering • direct you to further reading and support • help you reflect on your own strengths and interests and consider whether design engineering could be for you. 5 Design engineering explained What does a design engineer do? Where do In your opinion, which of the following are done by they work? design engineers? Industries include: • work in 3D printing • construction and building • work on exhausts for fighter aircraft services • work on technology which can control central heating remotely • electronics and consumer • talk to people around the world about problems with equipment goods • make sure production lines are efficient. • transport such as shipbuilding, aerospace, That was a trick question. All of the above railways and motor vehicles are done by design engineers. • power generation Design engineering involves design, creativity and investigation • research and development. into ways to improve the efficiency of existing products. The job requires design and technical skills and often appeals to creative people with a good eye for detail. It also suits individuals who enjoy art, design, maths, science and design and technology. 6 CAREER GUIDE TO DESIGN ENGINEERING What skills do design engineers need? Communication skills How much could At the start of a project, design engineers are given a ‘brief’ of what you earn? is required. These allow the engineer to negotiate in order to reach the best outcome for their employer. Starting salaries are between £20,000 and £27,000 a year. Experienced engineers can earn Problem-solving skills between £30,000 and £40,000. Senior design engineers can This is integral to the work of a design engineer and goes hand earn over £50,000 a year (2015 in hand with thinking creatively. Even when a design engineer guidelines), and with experience undertakes a project on their own, there’s likely to be an element you could progress to project of teamwork involved – for example, agreeing the best method manager, strategic planner or with the people who will be making and selling the product. consultant design engineer. Product engineers develop technical skills and knowledge linked The ‘Where are you now?’ to the area of design they’re working in. They must identify the section explains specific skills best materials to use, the most effective production methods and required for design engineering. anticipated costs. Technical reports are produced, and the product engineer must explain the information in the report and answer questions Want to know if required. more about being a Research design engineer? The ability to research and find out about alternative, Visit: up-to-date, options before starting work on a new product saves time and money. nationalcareersservice. direct.gov.uk brightknowledge.org Employment forecast: Sci & eng profs 1,780,000 1,750,000 1,720,000 1,690,000 1,660,000 1,630,000 edicted nos. employed Pr 1,600,000 Employment forecast: 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 science and engineering Year professional jobs This graph shows the predicted numbers of people that will be working in this sector between now and 2020. National Careers Service website, 2015 7 CAREER GUIDE TO DESIGN ENGINEERING How do design engineers learn, progress and improve? Design engineers are highly Where do I start? What next? Progressing to skilled, versatile and creative. They develop their skills at work and training courses. Level 1 Training and education Professional They learn to use computer- registration aided design (CAD) and School/college/workplace Advanced/Higher Apprenticeship • GCSE D – G • available in a variety of industries including: advanced other techniques to produce manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, power, IT, Engineering Technician accurate plans and create • Traineeships: For 16 – 23 year olds qualified construction, sustainable technologies below Level 3 (EngTech) or ICT new and updated products. • combine workplace training with study Technician (ICT Tech) After GCSEs (particularly science • typically 3 to 4 years and maths), you can progress to • can include vocational qualifications or a degree design engineering by studying Level 2 • approved by the Engineering Council a vocational course (such as Incorporated Engineer a Tech-level in Engineering) School/college/on-the-job training (IEng) and/or A-levels. Next, you • Apprenticeship (Intermediate): Engineering, IT, Higher National Certificate (HNC)/Diploma (HND) might progress to an HNC/ Construction, Built Environment, Manufacturing HND or Foundation Degree in • vocational higher education qualifications, often taken engineering product design, • GCSE/IGCSE A* – C: Maths, Science (ideally whilst in employment Chartered Engineer industrial design or computer- triple science) • can be taken at FE colleges and universities (CEng) (Useful subjects: D&T, ICT, Computing, aided design engineering. • typically 1 to 2 years Engineering) The Engineering UK route map Foundation Degree (FD) shows ways to progress in to • usually undertaken as a part-time qualification whilst in engineering roles after GCSEs. employment Level 3 • typically 2 years • Further learning to Batchelor’s level required for Eng Sixth form/college/on-the-job training registration. • Advanced Apprenticeship: Engineering, IT, Construction, Built Environment, Manufacturing • A-level: Maths, Physics University degrees (Useful subjects: Chemistry, Computing, D&T, • in general engineering, a specific field of engineering, Further Maths) computer science, manufacturing or technology • IB Diploma: Higher Level Maths, Physics • accredited by the Engineering Council. (Chemistry – for chemical and biomedical engineering) Bachelor’s Degree (BEng) Master’s Degree (MEng) • Tech-level qualifications: Design Engineering, • 3 to 4 years • 4 to 5 years Mechatronics or Power Network Engineering • can include a year • can include a year working in industry/a working in industry/a year abroad year abroad • can be followed by a 1 year MSc to register as a Chartered Engineer. 8 9 Image courtesy of the Women in SET team at Sheffield Hallam University, ‘Celebrating National Women in Engineering